AFRAFRANTO

Afrafranto (‘Butterfly’ in the Akan language of Ghana, West Africa) performs authentic acoustic palm wine and highlife music. The only group outside Ghana preserving and promoting this unique genre. Afrafranto is a dynamic group that has entertained audiences over the years with their dance-driven music and electric performances.

Palm wine music is a West African music genre that evolved among the Kru people from Sierra Leone and Liberia. Portuguese guitars were introduced by sailors to these regions and the locals combined their melodies with calypso and created palm wine music. Palm wine music was named after a drink from the naturally fermented sap of the oil palm tree, which was shared at gatherings where African guitarists played. This style of acoustic guitar music, accompanies songs reflecting philosophies and stories of life, palm wine music was the forerunner of highlife music.

Afrafranto specializes in “palm wine music”, a style of acoustic guitar music, played mainly in West Africa, in countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Afrafranto features three members of the JUNO award winning African Guitar Summit group – Theo Yaw Boakye on lead vocals and shakers, Pa Joe on guitar and vocals, Kofi Ackah on percussion and vocals, Ebenezer Agyekum on bass guitar and “Quandoo” Harrison on Keyboards